Portugal Trial Begins for Former PSD Secretary-General Over 2009 Brazil Murder
📌 Key Highlights & Context
- Trial opened on May 5 in Sintra
- Defense denies the accusations, citing phone records and speed‑ticket evidence
- Prosecution highlights a €5.2 million transfer as a criminal element
Case Details
The murder case of Rosalina Ribeiro, a secretary to millionaire Lúcio Tomé Feteira, allegedly committed in Saquarema, Brazil, on 7 December 2009, is being tried against former PSD secretary‑general Duarte Lima. The trial commenced on 5 May 2024 at the Sintra court.
Evidence presented includes mobile‑antenna activation logs placing the accused in the Saquarema area on the day of the crime, as well as speeding‑ticket records from the day before and after the murder.
Defense and Prosecution Arguments
Lima maintains his innocence, arguing that the €5.2 million transferred from the victim’s account to his was payment for legal services, not a motive for homicide.
The prosecution counters that the transfer, together with the location data, demonstrates a direct link between Lima and the crime.
- Phone records: Show presence in the crime zone.
- Speeding tickets: Issued in the area surrounding the murder date.
- Money transfer: €5.2 million moved to Lima’s account.